The present invention relates to a wheeled vehicle which is adapted to be towed for transporting a loose cargo and, more particularly, to a grain cart for transporting loose grain or the like.
Grain carts have been widely employed in the agricultural industry for the transport of harvested grains, such as wheat and corn, from the field during harvest. Typically such grain carts are towed behind a combine and, as the grain is separated from its extraneous plant material by the combine, it is discharged into the towed grain cart. Once the grain cart has been filled, it is detached from the combine and attached to a towing vehicle, such as a tractor, which tows the filled grain cart, frequently in major part over public roads or highways, to the location where the grain is to be stored, such as a grain elevator. In the meantime a second grain cart is hitched to the combine to continue to receive the harvested grain, while the filled grain cart is in transit to and from its discharge location.
It is advantageous if the status of fill of the grain cart, particularly toward the completion of fill, can be visually observed by the combine operator to prevent overfilling of the grain cart and spilling of the grain. Storage tanks which have been stationarily mounted directly on and as part of the combine for receiving the harvested grains have included perforated extension walls on the tanks in the past. These perforated extension walls primarily have the purpose of increasing the storage capacity of the combine-mounted tank. However, due to their perforated construction, they also incidentally permitted the combine operator to determine the status of fill of the tank. Such perforated extension walls, however, have not served any purpose to the present inventor's knowledge which assisted the combine operator in the operation or navigation of the combine either in the field or on public highways or roads. In fact, the extension walls frequently must be removed when the combine is to transit a public road due to bridge and other height restrictions.
It is also advantageous if the construction of such grain carts would permit visual viewing through the cart and to its rear by the operator of the towing vehicle when the grain cart is in transit on a public highway or other road or when it is being backed to maneuver it into a desired position. Such visibility permits the operator to determine whether any other vehicles are following or whether any obstructions are present. This is important from the standpoint of safety particularly where the grain cart is to be towed at a relatively slow rate of speed because such grain carts are typically of large and bulky size so as to obstruct visibility to the rear.
One approach in the past has involved the provision of upper panels on the grain cart of solid sheets of transparent plastic materials. The disadvantage of such plastic panels is that over the course of time they become foggy both due to the interaction of solar radiation with the plastic and the abrasion and scratching caused by the grains which are transported. Moreover, such panels are relatively weak structurally and, if their thickness is increased to improve their strength, they become relatively expensive and heavy.
The vehicle of the present invention is inexpensive and both simple in construction and use, overcomes the disadvantages of the aforementioned plastic panels, and permits the visual observation not only of the status of fill of the grain cart, but also visibility to the rear of the grain cart by the operator of a towing vehicle when the grain cart is in transit in traffic or being backed to position it.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, a towable wheeled vehicle for transporting a loose cargo includes a bottom, a pair of spaced side walls, and substantially impervious front and rear walls for containing the cargo, and a towing hitch adjacent the front wall for hitching the vehicle to a personnel-operated towing vehicle. The towable vehicle includes a perforated panel on the front and rear walls having perforations of a size and shape to contain the loose cargo. The perforated panels are positioned at an elevation to permit visibility through and to the rear of the towable vehicle by the operator of the towing vehicle when the towable vehicle is being towed or positioned.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the aforementioned perforated panel extends substantially across the width of the front wall adjacent its top and the perforated panel of the rear wall is positioned adjacent its top and at substantially the same elevation as the perforated panel of the front wall.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the towable vehicle is a grain cart for transporting loose grain, and the perforations are sized and shaped to contain the loose grain.
In still another principal aspect of the present invention, the perforated panels are formed of a metal mesh.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through a consideration of the following detailed description.